Does the Summers gang hate puppies?

Does the Summers gang hate puppies?

Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 12:43 am

by Dan Alaimo

It finally happened. I was booted from the Lakewood Community page on Facebook and as a result I am now in elite company of many who dared speak against this mayoral administration and the heavy-handed tactics of those who run that particular page which supports the Summers crowd.

What did I do? I posted about a lost dog, a post they deleted. That, and they've probably been looking for a reason to give me the boot for a long time. I'm a staunch supporter of the Lakewood Observer and a "moderator" of the Deck. I've made ousting me difficult because I scrupulously follow their many rules - but one of those rules is they reserve the right to be arbitrary at any time. Away from their page, I'm an unabashed critic.

Here's what went down: Shortly before the fireworks started on the Fourth of July, a dog named Tripp escaped from a neighbor's house. The dog was important to me because until a couple of days before, he lived at my house as a foster. The dog, a black greyhound, is a few weeks short of his second birthday so, strictly speaking, he is a puppy. For a couple of hours, Tripp put on quite a display of greyhound speed for the folks standing around for the Fourth as he ran around the neighborhood. Eventually, he found his way back to my next-door neighbor's yard. Of course that was a frantic time for the many people trying to find him, and I posted a note on several Lakewood groups. Only the Lakewood Community page deleted the note, presumably because of its author (me).

But can we go so far as to say Mayor Summers, his administration and his followers hate puppies? It would be hyperbole, for sure, but why not. They have opposed outdoor basketball, ignored neighbors who opposed a commercial development, enacted and fought a losing battle for a breed specific pit bull ban, sent out a henchman to stalk and harass opponents, closed our city hospital, and have engaged in some very suspect dealings with developers. And more. There's plenty on all these matters elsewhere in the Deck archive. While they clothe themselves as civic leaders, it is a very bad, vindictive crowd.

Who are the key players ("admins") on the Lakewood Community page? There are many of them, and a few come with interesting histories. Kris Williams, who booted me as a volunteer to Kauffman Park Friends because of my advocacy for the hospital; Corey Rossen, who has a checkered history with the various Lakewood social media outlets, including the Deck; and Jenn Karaffa Pae, who started the "Community" page and may have a legal conflict, like Trump and his Twitter account, because of her job as city Finance Director. Others I don't know as much about: Toni Kulma; Benjamin John; Doug Crouch; Caitlin Magner; Jon Wagner; Sue Tamilio; and Patrick L. Wadden, who I've had a few civil conversations with.

What does this mean now? We have an election coming up in November where we can rid ourselves of the Summers gang. Sam O'Leary is his chosen successor, so vote for Meghan George. Laura Rodriguez-Carbone is highly regarded for the Ward 1 council seat. I've met Brad Presutto of Ward 2 (where I live) many times and think highly of him. In Ward 3, John Litten is a supporter of the mayor and his agenda; I don't know his opponent Jeff Wise, but I've heard very good things. Ward 4 has Dan O'Malley running unopposed and for good reason, he's done a great job in his first term.

The Summers gang likes to paint its opponents as negative critics of Lakewood, but do you like the picture I've presented of them? Does this sound like a "Lakewood Community" that would even come together to find a lost puppy? Remember this bit of hyperbolic truth when you vote in the local elections in the fall. We deserve better than what we've got.

Note: When it comes to local politics, I see no advantage in stoic acceptance. I prefer to hit back, especially if it might benefit others. "Tell the world" is my advice to others in a similar position. It's a good policy with bullies, which the Summers gang is mostly comprised of. It's also good advice during election season in Lakewood. Put another way, the Lakewood Community page admins gave me a political football to kick through the uprights. For that, I say thank you.

Re: Does the Summers gang hate puppies?

Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 5:40 am

by Bridget Conant

Dan

It’s a sad day when a post about a lost puppy is enough to get you kicked out of a Lakewood “Community” group.

A “community” group that really isn’t for the community, but exists to serve its masters - the current administration, as a propaganda machine.

I was booted out of the group - I NEVER once posted! Not one post, but I was deemed dangerous, I’m sure, because I don’t support most of what they stand for. Better get me out before I post something their delicate sensibilities can’t deal with!

But again, asking for help from neighbors, wouldn’t that be what you think of as the purpose of a “community” group?

It’s a weird, upside down world in part of Lakewood. People who call themselves Democrats who have much more in common with Trump and his ilk. The suspension of truth and facts, the disregard for the average man, the catering to the rich and powerful, the lies and deceit - we have our own Trump here -Mayor Summers.

Re: Does the Summers gang hate puppies?

Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 6:04 am

by Michael Deneen

Jen Pae started that page out of spite. She got into a spat with Charles Milsap on the original "Lakewood Ohio" page (because he dared to challenge her on the hospital issue). The next day she created her own mirror-image version of the page, which is controlled by City Hall.

It's actually far more insidious than Trump's Twitter account....because Trump's twitter makes no attempt to hide its bias. It's clearly labeled as a Trump propaganda tool.Pae's "Fakewood" page, on the other hand, is designed to look like a grass roots, impartial community forum.

Re: Does the Summers gang hate puppies?

Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 6:22 am

by cmager

Bridget Conant wrote:It’s a weird, upside down world in part of Lakewood. People who call themselves Democrats who have much more in common with Trump and his ilk. The suspension of truth and facts, the disregard for the average man, the catering to the rich and powerful, the lies and deceit - we have our own Trump here - Mayor Summers.

Bridget, thank you, I've been saying this for a long time. These people are owned and act as monetized Republican authoritarians. Elsewhere in the country, one would recognize their actions as that of Republicans - privatizing, profitizing, and seizing power for the few at the expense of the many - and at the expense of the community. In NEO, they are Democrats of convenience, to gain access to the machine and the vote.

Re: Does the Summers gang hate puppies?

Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 6:30 am

by Jim O'Bryan

A never ending game of control. Every site in this town but one, was started out of spit and dislike for "the others" and or to control the mayor's message. Only one group was started not because of anger with another, but with the idea of bringing something new, honorable, transparent and accountable to Lakewood. A place that had no control but the members with but a few rules, mostly dealing with safety and security. Once there is a place like that it was thought, who would need anything else. Well let me assure you they either have a personal reason to not be here(caught), or a desperate need to control the narrative.

As I pointed out in another thread, the Mayor has 29 ways to get information out. There is only one that dares to question him. There is one that costs nothing, but produces products and jobs, and gives back to the school, the library and before Summer's war on media, City Hall.

City has gone from community to be so divided it is ridiculous, and in the end who wins? Not the residents, diffusion is the enemy of a community. The residents do not win, but those with secret agendas do and flourish, witness Lakewood right now.

Title could have been Summer's and supporters just HATE, anything they can't control or thinks for itself.

Since Ed FitzGerald, through Summers and leading into the spawn of those two, Sam O'Leary...

.

Re: Does the Summers gang hate puppies?

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2019 2:55 pm

by Dan Alaimo

Long, even excessively long, discussion about this post on one of the other Lakewood pages the other day. I give them credit for not cutting it off - that group is living up to their ideal of minimal speech control. As usual, people from the so-called Community page came there to discuss it because they can't discuss it on their own page. And as usual, the use of bandwidth increased dramatically with the appearance of certain people. The Jays also chimed in.

Jim doesn't like it when I promote Facebook activity here, so since I can avoid it, I'll let it slide.

As always, they held to their SOP of deflect, distract and denigrate, and somehow missed the point that the Summers administration has been one long disaster - except for the Solstice Steps. But they did demonstrate in no uncertain terms how they have created a toxic, adversarial civic environment that often pits neighbor against neighbor in the name of "progress." I'll probably say this there too, but I hold to my promise to Jim of "LO/Deck first."

I think I held my own against them without leaving any openings for legal action, but it's hard to go high against those who are so low.